Origin
Elgin, IL
Evening in Elgin on Thursday
Local time
6:25 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elgin, IL to McCullom Lake, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
47m
Distance
25.2 mi
40 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
McCullom Lake, IL
Sean Ewing
Trip Overview
The drive from Elgin, IL to McCullom Lake, IL covers 25.2 miles and takes about 47m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on IL 31, North State Street, South 8th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.6 miles on IL 31. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.94 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 25.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 47m highway drive covering 25.2 miles, with most of the trip on IL 31 and North State Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 15.6 miles on IL 31.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
IL 31 is the longest continuous segment at about 15.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on IL 31 and North State Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Center Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 47m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Highland Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (IL 31 / North State Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Center Street
Turn left onto Center Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Highland Avenue
Turn left onto East Highland Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IL 31 / North State Street
Turn right onto IL 31 / North State Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
23.4 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
McCullom Lake Road
Turn left onto McCullom Lake Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
25.1 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
Parkview Drive
Turn left onto Parkview Drive
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| IL 31 | 15.6 mi | 26m |
| North State Street | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| South 8th Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| McCullom Lake Road | 1.7 mi | 4m |
| North Western Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Richmond Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| North 8th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East Highland Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
IL 31
— 15.6 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elgin, IL and McCullom Lake, IL.
1
Start on East Chicago Street
34 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Chicago Street
2
Turn left onto Center Street
329 ft
·
12 sec
·
Center Street
3
Turn left onto East Highland Avenue
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
East Highland Avenue
4
Turn right onto IL 31
2.7 mi
·
5 min
·
North State Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on IL 31
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
South 8th Street
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on North 8th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North 8th Street
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on South Western Avenue
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
South Western Avenue
8
Continue on North Western Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Western Avenue
9
Continue on IL 31
16 mi
·
26 min
·
IL 31
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Turn right onto IL 31; IL 120
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
West Elm Street
11
Turn left onto IL 31
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Richmond Road
12
Turn left onto McCullom Lake Road
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
McCullom Lake Road
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto Eastwood Drive
332 ft
·
20 sec
·
Eastwood Drive
14
Turn left onto Parkview Drive
11 ft
·
0 sec
·
Parkview Drive
15
Arrive at destination
Parkview Drive
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.94 one way
$7.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $4.33 | $8.65 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.85 | $9.70 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.56 | $11.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.65 | $1.21 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.53 | $1.61 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
McCullom Lake, IL
Evening in McCullom Lake on Thursday
Local time
6:25 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
17 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
47m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Elgin, IL to McCullom Lake, IL covers 25.2 miles and takes about 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are IL 31, North State Street, South 8th Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.6 miles from Elgin, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.94 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 47m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (East Highland Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (IL 31 / North State Street): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Elgin, IL to McCullom Lake, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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